//------------------------------// // Chapter 7 - The Assault of Palomino // Story: BLITZ // by The Commandant //------------------------------// BOOM! The tank in front of me exploded, killing everypony inside of it. I ducked down behind the trench wall, getting mud and dirt all over me. After a little while, I stood back up and aimed my rifle at the incoming human soldiers. I pulled the trigger, which was followed by a loud crack. The rifle flew back into my shoulder and sent a smoking bullet shell flying out of it. I looked to see if I hit the human, but was disappointed to see him still standing. The human in question raised his machine gun and fired at a stallion I could see running towards him. The pony's chest seemed to burst open as bullets began to pierce his body, and fell soon after. Dammit! I reloaded the rifle and attempted another shot at the human, this time taking careful aim. As soon as I pulled the trigger, the human fell to the ground. Satisfied, I took aim at another before I heard the sound of an engine getting closer. I looked to my left and saw a human tank headed towards me. "Oh, shit!" I exclaimed, before ducking. The tank rolled over the trench, barely hitting me in the head. That was a little close. I stood up again peering over the trench, and saw several human aircraft flying towards the trenches. Unicorns began to cast air burst spells at the aircraft, while pegasi tried to engage them. The human fighters dived and began to strafe the trenches. I ducked once again, as bullets began pounding the earth around me. "Hey! Over here!" A mare near me called out. "Huh?" I said. "I need your-" She said before a bullet pierced her head, spraying gore all over the ground. And me. The suddenness of it all shocked and surprised me, so it took me a few seconds to process what had just happened. I came back to reality and launched myself backwards at the gory display in front of me. I lowered my head towards the ground, gagging and dry heaving. I was never used to gore. VROOOM! I looked up and caught a glimpse of a human fighter flying overhead. I realized that the stray bullet that killed the pony in front of me was from their strafing runs. I knew I wouldn't stay alive in the trenches for much longer if I stayed, I needed to regroup with somepony from my squad. I figured that they had to be close by, since we were together before the battle. I ran through the trenches, passing by other ponies, looking for any sign of Fifth Squad. "Onyx?! ONYX!" I called out. I continued to call out his name through the carnage going on around me, even though there was no possible way he would hear me through all the gunfire and explosions. "Scootaloo?!" I heard a faint, familiar voice call out. It wasn't Onyx, but I knew it was somepony from my squad. "SCOOTALOO!" The voice called out again. I tried to pinpoint the voice, getting louder as I trotted closer. "Scootaloo! Get over here!" I turned my head towards the voice and saw Onyx standing in the middle of a crowded trench intersection. Standing next to him was Emerald, who I guessed heard me yelling. "I'm glad I found you!" I exclaimed, running over to them. "Come on! Everypony else is over there!" Emerald said. We all ran through the trenches and past more ponies to get to the rest of the squad. When we found the others, I could see Astral being annoyed by Yellow, and Swift was with Ivory, who was... laying on the ground? Oh no... "Ivory! Are you okay?!" I asked. "Urgh... Yeah, I'm fine." She replied. "Just a scratch." Swift Scoffed. "Yeah, a 'scratch'." "Swift, how's Ivory been doing?" Onyx asked. "Well, she's been pretty stubborn about not letting me check the wounds, since they're in a... certain area." Swift stated. "Ivory, you could die if Swift doesn't... check you out." Onyx said awkwardly. "I... f-fine, but Swift don't you dare put your hooves where they shouldn't be!" Ivory said, starting to blush. "You know I have a wife, she would murder me if she heard I touched another mare like that." Swift replied. Onyx then turned to me. "Scootaloo, what exactly were you doing way over there?" Onyx asked, pointing to the spot where they found me. "Well, I panicked when everypony started yelling before the battle." I replied earnestly. "I ran for cover and found myself pinned to the wall of the trench, watching a pony get her brains blown out." "I'm... I'm sorry." Onyx said. "I'm also very sorry for... what happened to Applebloom." He replied. "Oh..." I said, not really sure of what to say. "SWIFT! YOU BASTARD!" Ivory yelled. "I slipped! I swear, I slipped!" Swift replied hastily. "I honestly- Oof!" I almost laughed. "Well, I think we should get back out there. Swift! You almost done?!" Onyx asked. "Ugh... Yeah, almost." Swift replied awkwardly. "If the patient would stop trying to buck me in the gut!" "That'll be the least of our worries if we don't get up there soon!" Onyx said. BOOM! There was an explosion that was a little too close for comfort. "Okay... done! Let's go!" Swift said, packing his medical equipment. Ivory got off her backside and got up, occasionally giving Swift dirty looks. Ivory Charm was a mare unicorn with a teal mane and light yellow coat, and was usually quiet unless somepony began a conversation with her. Then all she does is talk. "Fall back! Fall back!" Somepony yelled. "They've breached our anti-tank defenses! Fall back!" "What?!" Yellow Rock exclaimed. "You heard him, fall back!" Onyx said, running backwards. We all followed him, running for our very lives while the humans closed in. My hind leg began to scream in pain with every step. I had to push through the pain, because if I slowed down once, it could be over for me. As soon as we left the trenches, ponies all around us began to drop like flies, whether they were airborne or on the ground. At one point a bullet barely grazed my head. I looked back to see several pony corpses and destroyed Mk 1s laying dormant on the ground. I looked forwards and saw that we were running past the tents we had set up. "Uh... are we in full retreat?" I asked. "Definitely!" Onyx replied. "Up ahead is an Autochariot convoy we need to get to!" And sure enough, there was a line of Autochariots ready to drive away at a moments notice. A human plane flew over and dropped a cylinder of some sort, which exploded when it hit the ground. More planes began to fly over us and began to drop their payloads. We managed to reach an Autochariot before it could be destroyed. Emerald hopped into the driver's seat, while Onyx got into the passenger seat up front. "Hey! Wait for me!" A mare called out, running towards us. "We don't have enough time!" Onyx said. "We can't stay!" "We can't just leave her!" I said. "We can wait, just for a little bit!" "I... Ugh, fine!" Onyx replied. "Hurry!" Swift yelled, waving his hoof. The pony got to us just in time and climbed onto the bed of the Autochariot. "Hit it!" Onyx said. "Hit it now, Emerald!" With that, the Autochariot began to move forwards and followed the other fleeing Autochariots at top speed. "Thanks for waitin on me, I appreciate it." She said. "Well, we couldn't just abandon you." I said. Wait, I recognize her voice. "Do... I know you from somewhere?" I asked the mare. "Dunno." She replied. "You sound familiar too." Wait... Oh sweet Celestia, is that... "B-Babs?" I said. She just stared at me, wide eyed with the realization of who I was. "Scootaloo? That really you?!" Babs replied, still in awe. "Oh, Babs!" I said excitedly, embracing her with my fore hooves. "How is this even possible?!" "Geez, Scootaloo, I dunno!" She replied, still awestruck. "Small world, I guess!" I just held the embrace, and then I began to sob on her shoulder. "Oh... Babs... I'm so sorry..." I sobbed. "Scootaloo?" She said, confused. I have to tell her... "Uh... W-well... Applebloom... is..." I stammered. "She... She, isn't here anymore. She didn't make it." "Wh... What?" Babs said, stunned. "I'm sorry... I'm so, so sorry... I couldn't do anything... I could only watch her... die... in front of me..." I sobbed. "What?!" She yelled. "Wh... Why?!" "She... She lost it! She was right next to me... then she was in the street... and then she was bleeding from her neck... on the ground... st... staring at me!" I sobbed. "You... You let her die?!" She yelled, shoving me off of her. "No... No! I-I couldn't save her in time!" I replied, sobbing. "You couldn't save her?! That's... What a load of buckin bullshit!" She yelled, starting to cry herself. Then she got up and punched me in the face. I fell over onto the floor of the Autochariot, stunned. I came back to my senses a few seconds after. Damn, it stung. "Whoa! Hey! That's enough!" Swift said, grabbing hold of Babs. "You sick bitch! Applebloom trusted you! It's your fault she's dead!" Babs yelled, trying to break free of Swift's grip. "It wasn't my fault..." I said. "You couldn't even try to save her?!" Babs sobbed. "Shut... Shut up!" I sobbed. "Just... Shut up!" "Why?! Why should I do anythin you say?!" She replied. "Stop it! I know Scootaloo! She would never leave a friend to die! We could've left YOU to die!" Swift yelled, letting go of Babs. "But we didn't! Scootaloo chose to save you! Doesn't that say something? Anything?!" Babs didn't say anything, but looked down at the bed of the autochariot, tears falling from her eyes. I couldn't believe Babs would act like this. I leaned onto Ivory and began to sob on her shoulder, mourning for everything I regret. Ivory began to comfort me, which helped some, but I still felt awful. "It's not my fault..." I repeated quietly. "Does... Does Big Mac know?" Babs asked. "No... No, he doesn't... she just died... about an hour ago." I replied. She sat down and didn't say anything, she just sat there... blank face and everything. This is why I hate war, why I hate humanity for starting it. Why did they have to start this war? Why? Alone. I was sitting alone in a small house. Applebloom wasn't here to sit with me, it was just myself. We barely escaped, the humans were about to encircle the southern half of Palomino, which would've trapped us had we left any later. I can't say if everypony else from our company made it out. Babs had left to find her platoon, which was in the same company I was in, when we stopped near Konikticut. It was extremely hard to believe that she was here the whole time, and I never knew it. We never knew it. She never got to see Applebloom... here... Maybe that's why she... lashed out. She apologized, I assure you (it wasn't easy, though), but I couldn't help but feel bad for her. For the rest of the Apple family. Big Mac would be the only one running Sweet Apple Acres. He would be alone, working day and night. Just like me. Alone. ... I know I have the others, but... They don't fill the hole in my heart... I don't think they can fill it... I... I'm going to see if I can talk to Onyx about getting Babs transferred into our squad. I want somepony I at least know well to be with me... Just until this whole thing blows over... when we win... ... Oh, who am I kidding? We're going to lose the war in a few short months, I guarantee it. I mean, they have numbers nopony else has, technology that surpassed even the Zebras, and knowledge in advanced military tactics that we couldn't possibly coordinate! This war... our resistance against humanity is just prolonging the inevitable. Which... which means Applejack... Applebloom... They've died in vein... Along with everypony else who lost their lives... Oh sweet Celestia... What will they do with us? Will they torture us? Murder our families? Destroy countless cities? Rape? No... That's too far... they wouldn't... They wouldn't dare- "Scootaloo?" I looked up and saw somepony I didn't expect to see; Yellow Rock. "Yellow?" I said. "Mind... uh... Mind if I sit with... um... you?" He asked nervously. "I, uh... No, no, not at all." I replied. He trotted slowly over to where I sat, sitting down next to me. "So... I, uh... I kinda wanted to ask about... What was Applebloom like? Before the war?" He asked. I didn't expect that at all. "Well, uh... She was really nice to me and Sweetie Bell, and other ponies. She always wanted to help others, and wasn't afraid to stand up for them." I replied. "But it all changed after we were drafted, after training. Sweetie Bell was put into another Division, and Applebloom and I were put into the same squad. Then when her older sister Applejack... died in San Fransiscolt... She was broken..." "Who was... Bads? And Sweetie Bell?" Yellow asked. "You mean Babs? She was Applebloom's cousin, I met her when she came from Manehattan to Ponyville one day. She had a strong bond with Applebloom... So... so..." I replied, tears forming in my eyes. "I'm... sorry. I'm sorry. I... I want to be alone. For now." "Oh... I'm sorry... I..." He stammered. "I'll leave you... alone." I heard him trot off, and realized I didn't want to be alone. I needed to be around somepony. I can't be left alone. "Yellow... wait!" I called out. I heard him trot back over to me, peering over the side of the wall in front of him. "Y-yes, Scootaloo?" He said, nervousness in his voice. "I've changed my mind. Can you... stay? Just for a bit?" I asked. "Uh... s-sure?" He replied hesitantly. "Thank you." I said. He sat down next to me once again, and I leaned onto him. I was probably making his face all shades of red. I was a little more calm, almost at peace. But I knew it would all end. Everything has to end. ... Just like Applebloom. ... I started to cry again. ... It was my fault.